The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1887-09-29
A Coronet of Misery.

A Coronet of Misery.
CHARLESTON, S. c., Sept. 1.-The
Countess Alexina Leonetti who died here
a few days ago was before marriage a
Miss Alexina Chisholm, o daughter of
one of the wealthiest and most distin-
guished families of South Carolina. She
was brilliantly educated, handsome, and
possessed of voice of phenomenal
beauty.
After the close of the war she went
abroad with her father, and while travel
ing on the Continent made the acquaint.
ance of Count Leonetti, who, as the
sequel shows, proved to be a mere ad.
venturer of the most depraved Italian
type. Putting his empty title and pre-
tensions against her American gold, he
so far succeeded in ingratiating himself
in the affections of the attractive young
lady as to win her hand. In less than a
year she became the Countess Leonetti,
and the occupant of palace in Florence.
For time everything went we'll with
her, but finally the passionate lover
unveiled his true character and Alexina
found herself deserted for the gambling
saloon and the demimonde. Heavy
drafts were made upon her purse for his
support amid these designations, and the
good natured father humored the belief
that after a while the gay italian would
SOW his wild oats and settle down to a
more quiet life. But he was mistaken.
The more the count received, the more
he demanded.
One day, on returning home, the
countess found installed in her place a
woman who had oficiated as her maid.
This was too much for proud nature to
endure, and the countess, taking such of
her jewels as her husband had not
pawned or sold, returned to Charleston
with her father.
The count now played another role.
He pretended penitence and reformation.
He wrote beseeching letters to the effect
that his fathers death had secured to
him property that before he had been
.unahle to touch. In short. he wanted
her to come back to her Italian home
and be once more happy.
Womanlike, she yielded and rejoined
her husband, leaving her father in Amer.
lea. But it was only to be once more
disappointed. She found that her place
was virtually filled by the French maid,
who was nominally retained in the
capacity of hair dresser to the countess.
Meanwhile the drafts upon her exchequer
continued until the demand became
simply exorbitant.
One morning while arranging the hair
of the countess the maid brought her q
cup of coffee. 1t was drank and in
few minutes violent spasms occurred. A
physician was summoned, and after
questioning the patient, asked for the
cup for the purpose of examining its
contents. The maid declared that they
had been thrown away, and at the same
time offered her glass of wine.
"Take it away-nothiDg more from
you" said the countess. "I have been
poisoned, doctor, in my own house."
POISONED in the house of Leonetti !
One of the oldest houses in Florence !!
Impossible, madamel"
"Oh, DOCTOR" she cried, "save me."-
But before she could finish the sentence
she became delirious, and for days re.
mained in an unconscious state.
When reason returned she found her.
self in strange place, surrounded by
strange looking and acting people. 1t
was lunatic asylum, to which she had
been conveyed by orders of the count,
with instructions that she not be allowed
to communicate by sign, word or writing
with any person outside the institution.
In Italy husbands control over the
wife is absolute and consequently his
instructions were carried out to the let.
ter.
One day, however, the countess man.
aged to have q letter conveyed to the
American Consul in which she begged
him to come to the asylum. He did so,
but was refused admittance. During the
incarceration the count was drawing upon
her father in Charleston under the pre-.
tense that she personally required the
money in order to meet the heavy charg-
es of the institution to which she had
voluntarily retired for treatment. These
drafts were duly honored; until at last,
the suspicious of Mr.. Chisholm being
aroused, he himself communicated with
the American charge d'affaires in Flor
ence, requesting him to make an investi.
CATION of the circumstances. The latter
did 30, but it was only by the exercise of
his official authority that he was enabled
to have an interview with the countess,
when he learned the facts which deter.
mined him to take steps for her immedi.
ate release.
After much trouble the latter was go.
cured, and shattered in health and bro
ken in spirit, and was sent back to
America, accompanied by female COM
panion. The father, who was also in
feeble health, met her on her arrival, but
the meeting was terrible one. The
daughter with whom he had parted in
the bloom Of youth, had returned to his
arms mental and physical wreck. The
brown, luxuriant hair had turned to
gray, the graceful figure had lost its out.
lines, and the brilliant mind was almost
blank. 1t was hoped that the change
of the scene and the revival of old
associations would accomplish cure
hut in this her friends we're destined to